Sanctuary
by TeaLogic
Summary: RIVALSHIPPING. Judai gets lost during a winter school holiday. It's up to Manjoume to find him. Pointless Judai/Manjoume fluff.  edited
1. Chapter 1

Meant to be a character study that exploded into a chapter fic!

***CHAPTER ONE HAS BEEN EDITED* **with the advice of **Higuchimon**.

**AU GX Setting. **

Critique is always welcomed

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The rights of Yu-Gi-Oh GX belong to respected owners (whoever they are!)

Sanctuary

It was evening, and flakes of snow were falling heavily over the ski slopes at the _SnowIsland Resort_. In the bright light of the half moon the snow glowed eerily, throwing shadows across the slopes that seemed to move if you looked at them too long. The ski lifts swung slowly in a light wind that was beginning to pick up. They said there would be a serious snow storm tonight, along with a promise of fresh snow to have fun in tomorrow morning.

Jun Manjoume stared petulantly out the window at this dreamy scene, irritation increasing as the flakes got larger and heavier. Each flake of snow had its own sliver tint to it. It was a romantic scene that was damn annoying to him. He folded his arms and turned away from the window, surveying the lounge from a plush leather sofa that he hadn't moved from since he sat down two hours ago. Asuka and Sho were watching some programme on the television on the sofas to his left with Fubuki, lying back and chatting lightly to each other. Misawa was at the table looking over his deck and Kaiser was, as always, by himself.

For some unidentified reason, the Chancellor had decided to send students on a ski trip over the winter holidays. There was skiing, snowboarding, walking and even a hot tub. There was no sense of urgency, no sense of panic or stress. Only a stilled laziness in the air, the ultimate air of holiday.

_Relaxation and unwinding... and fun!_

And Manjoume hated all of it.

The idea of strapping skis to your feet and going up and down slopes endlessly all day had not and never would appeal to him. He remembered the expensive winter holidays his family would go on every December when he was much younger. There were memories of Shoji and Chosaku competing with each other on the slopes and pushing everyone out the way. His parents were always off doing god knows what, usually spending more money whilst doing it. Jun was always left standing around looking for something to do, sometimes getting lost in the resort from wandering so much. He usually found solace in seeking duels with other kids until his brothers found him and tried to humiliate him on the slopes. Jun physically turned his head, as if to look away from the memories that clouded up his thoughts. It was a long time ago and there was no point thinking about it.

It was only the second night here and there were nine more nights to go. Manjoume didn't think he would last another hour watching everyone enjoying themselves in the _wondrous, super magical_ snow. The only possible person who shared this sentiment with him was Kaiser, but Fubuki had slowly begun to work his magic on getting the duellist to join in with the fun and games. Judai since day one had tried to make Manjoume join in with the snowboarding. He shouted at Manjoume as he was walking to the lodge with his suitcase, waving a board in the air and making a display of pointing at him whilst flashing that annoying grin of his.

No way would Manjoume go snowboarding. And if Judai had the nerve to mention it again...

That was a point, where was the slacker? Wasn't he absent from dinner?

It was like some sort of cue, for the door burst open. Everyone flinched as the cold air hit the room and the snow came in, but it the figure of Kenzan in the doorway had nearly everyone on their feet. He was covered in snow, his hair plastered to his face. He was breathing heavily, the spots of pink on his face a giveaway to the fact that he had been running around in the snow for some time.

"Kenzan?"

Manjoume looked at him carefully. If he wasn't so far away, he could have sworn Kenzan looked close to tears.

"Judai's missing!"

* * *

><p>Quickly, everything came to light as everyone began to crowd Kenzan with questions. Judai hadn't shown up to dinner and he had failed to turn up when Kenzan had suggested they meet. He wasn't in the lodge and hadn't been seen by anybody. No-one had seen him since the afternoon, when he had been walking with some kid who had wanted to duel him.<p>

"So he was duelling some kid?" The voice of Ryo's cut over everyone else's, "And then what?"

"Well that's just it!" Kenzan shook his head, spraying everyone, "He went off with this guy to find a place to duel, and he never came back! And then-"

"Well where did he go!" Sho interrupted, his voice unnaturally high with worry.

"Off to the far slopes," Kenzan waved his hand vaguely in a direction behind him. "So they could duel without disrupting anyone"

There was a short, uncomfortable silence with everyone throwing nervous looks at each other, unable to think of anything to say.

_Nice one Judai, now everyone's worried about you. _

Manjoume, who hadn't moved from the sofa, stood up and joined the group.

"Well, where is this duellist? Shouldn't he know where Judai is?"

Manjoume's remark was greeted with several pairs of eyes looking at him, all carrying an expression of bewilderment at the simplicity of his remark.

Fubuki looked at Kenzan, "If he was the last person to see him, then he should know where Judai went"

"But, but I... already talked to the guy," Kenzan's faltered, "he said Judai went off to find other duellists"

"We have to go look for him then" Asuka said finally, "Let's split up and cover the area"

The more organised the plan became, the feeling of panic lessened. It turned from a serious panic into a more relaxed affair, like they had to find Judai because he was about to be late for class at the academy, rather than what was the actual reality.

"Agree to be back here within an hour. Call each other if you find him"

* * *

><p>The snow was rapid and heavy, falling without making a noise. It spooked Manjoume more than anything, only hearing his footsteps and the wind picking up. The biting cold made every movement more difficult. The ski lifts on the lodge were motionless but the chairs were swinging wildly in the wind, making Manjoume uneasy.<p>

He was beginning to wish that he had brought his deck with him on the search. Even the chatter of his irritating Ojamas was more appealing than the sound of his footsteps heading over the slopes. They would also distract him from the cold. It took less than ten minutes for Manjoume's thick winter coat to be rendered mostly useless, the iciness of the wind already biting at his chest. His dark jeans were stuck to his legs by the snow and made them numb, making it difficult to make his way through the paths that winded their way through the area. He folded his arms up tightly, a poor defence against the wind.

He was given the task of searching around the south slopes, but personally, Manjoume figured if just kept walking in a general direction; it wouldn't be hard to spot a flash of red amongst the snow. To his left, the small dot of Misawa was walking towards the smaller slopes, stumbling every now and again until he disappeared out of Manjoume's vision.

He felt the stinging in his hands and he cursed himself for not taking gloves or an extra coat, and then cursed Judai's stupidity for making come out here to look for him and thus making his whole body feel like it did. He cursed Judai for going off to duel, because that's what he wanted to do. He cursed Judai for probably turning up at some point baring some stupid grin and apologising, all collected and cool, whilst Manjoume would look like a snowman. He cursed Judai full stop because only that idiot could make him trudge through the snow to look for him. Later on, when no-one would be looking, Manjoume vowed to smack Judai from behind with a snowboard when he was unaware.

_That would show him, stupid fool._

Time passed and he kept walking south. The blizzard was now in full force, almost knocking Manjoume backwards and whipping his hair into his face. It was now a real struggle to step forward with the snow coming up to his knees. He'd been out here for barely an hour and it felt like he spent the night in an ice cave.

_The idiot. _

No way could Judai be out here. Manjoume thought back to the trial he went though at North Academy and it paled in comparison to the cold he was feeling now. He should turn back. More likely Judai had somehow returned to the lodge, flashing some cheesy smile and having some stupid excuse for being out here. For the third time in the same minute, he checked his mobile. No messages. Still, in the excitement of having Judai back, they could have forgotten to call him.

He stopped and looked behind him; he had walked so far that the ski lodge had long disappeared behind the hills. It was a deadly expanse of white; an icy desert. In front of him lay the woods that circled the outside of the area. In the light of the moon, they were dark and foreboding, your stereotypical haunted woods. No one said anything about checking the woods. But an idea was forming; it was a half sensible thing to do if Judai had been caught out in the snow to take shelter in the trees and try and wait the storm out.

Perhaps he should check...?

He must have missed the hour deadline however, if he had reached the woods. He would have to head back. Asuka said something about calling the rangers if they returned without Judai in tow.

Yet he still had the feeling that he needed to go in there. If Judai was blessed with a smart moment while being caught out in this storm, then he would head there for shelter. If Manjoume found him he could let the others know and call off the search. But what if Judai went in there blindly? If he was in the woods at all? Jun would never find him and would likely freeze to death in the process.

_Freeze to death._ It hung heavy in his mind. Before he could stop himself, a mental image of Judai literally frozen in the snow was sticking in his brain. It didn't help that he was also reminded that if it had been reversed, Judai would already be thundering in there, however stupid it was. It was way past the agreed hour meet up. But he didn't dare turn back, if Judai was sheltering in the woods, then Manjoume would have to find him.

_Damn it Judai, I'll kill you when this is over!_

He began to march on forward, but he broke into a run when he saw Winged Kuribo hovering near the trees.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOhGX

* * *

><p>There was something surreal about running after a duel spirit in the middle of the woods looking for someone who might already be dead. Perhaps it was the setting, the sky above him was pitch and the moon was hidden amongst the trees. At this point in the film script, a gloved hand would take Manjoume behind a tree and hack him to pieces...<p>

He wasn't sure if that was due to the seriousness of the situation, or the absurdity of it all that caused the onslaught of anger for the dammed slacker who clearly thought it a great idea to get lost in the snow in the middle of the night. _And_ he was betting he didn't have a coat. Manjoume felt this anger lick the sides of his stomach as he pushed on forward, comically kicking up huge plumes of snow that threatened to trip him up with every step. He had difficulty seeing where he was going. The action of running mixed with the icy air shredded his lungs and his locked muscles ached as he ploughed through the snow. His eyes were fixed on that Kuriboh as it darted between the trees whilst turning back to check Manjoume was still running after him, those googly eyes wide and fearful.

The sight of the Kuriboh confirmed his suspicions; Judai had made it to the woods for shelter. He supposed he had to congratulate the stupid fool for being so resourceful in a moment of crisis. Yet, he still hadn't the faintest idea what to do once he found Judai, only to give him the biggest rollicking of his life-

He reached a clearing and skidded to a sudden halt, his breath caught in his throat.

There he was. Judai was sprawled on the ground and utterly still, wearing his normal attire underneath a thin blue winter coat that was covered in snow. There was a hand stretched out in front of him. His face was almost buried...

Manjoume's voice was just a whisper over the silence.

"Yuki?"

Manjoume was then running over to him as he lay there in the snow, sinking to his knees next to him. He was shaking from more than just the cold as he pushed Judai's hair away from his pale cheeks and stared at him.

Slowly, he reached for Judai's wrist, placing two fingers on the inside of it. He couldn't quite believe that he was looking for signs of life. He tried very hard not to think about what would happen if he didn't find any.

_It's there._

He felt something uncontrollable bubbling up within him. He let out a short breath, not knowing what to feel at the sound of the erratic throbbing in Judai's wrist. He was still alive at any rate. He closed his fingers over it, feeling the iciness of Judai's hand. He noticed that long, thin scratches scaled up his arms. What on earth had Judai been doing?

Manjoume dug his hand into his pocket to call the others, only to find it completely empty. He swore loudly, balling his hand into an angry fist. He must have lost it amongst the trees when he ran after the duel spirit. It would be useless to find it now, what with all the snow he had kicked up getting here.

The sudden hopelessness of the situation broke over him like a punch to the face. There was no way of letting the others know that he had found Judai here. They wouldn't know where they were either. Manjoume was supposed to head for the south slopes, but the dash into the woods had not been a part of the plan.

_What now? _

They were over an hour away from the lodge, and the others would be there now. Someone would be bound to notice now that there were two people missing. Someone else would probably call his phone, that same phone now had most likely drowned in the snow. He eyed the one responsible for all this. Judai was alive and breathing but unconscious. He had been out here for far too long as it was and his condition would likely continue to deteriorate at a faster pace as time slipped by.

The only option would be to head back to the lodge whilst carrying Judai before he died of hypothermia and hope that he would meet someone on the way. The Kuriboh would probably help him. Irritation flared up inside as Manjoume imagined the journey with the odds stacked against him. No phone, raging blizzard, following some phantom duel spirit, having to carry deadweight...

All because Judai wanted to go duelling.

_Some holiday!_

He was so going to kill him when they made it back.

Manjoume looked down at his former rival. He would have to get Judai conscious; otherwise it would be very unlikely that this idea could become possible.

"Yuki" He shook him violently on the shoulder. "_Yuki_"

Judai moaned in response and tried to curl up in the snow, as if he were in bed at the academy dorm and Manjoume was trying to force him out of it for a class.

Needless to say, something about this irked him and he slapped Judai hard on the head.

"Judai!" He shook him again, "Wake up!"

Manjoume roughly rolled him over onto his back and saw Judai grit his teeth at the movement. Eyes narrowed at this unconscious movement, what else had he done to himself? Judai shifted slightly, trying to push Manjoume's hands away. Eyes cracked open slightly, widening when he saw Manjoume towering over him. Their stares met.

"Damn it Judai!" Manjoume's voice was loud enough to echo between the trees, "I've been all over the place looking for you, get up!"

"M-M-Manjoume?"

"Who else? Idiot. What the fuck do you think you're doing out here in a blizzard?"

Judai blinked several times, having trouble actually believing that the scowling form of Manjoume was actually there and was not some sort of hallucination brought on with the oncoming hypothermia. Not that Manjoume fitted the role of guardian angel all that well. With effort, Judai reached up to touch Manjoume's arm.

"How d-did you..."

Manjoume knocked his hand away, "Never mind that!"

"But..."

"I'm here because everybody's damn well worried about you and we have to get you back. How long have you been out here?"

A flicker of confusion briefly passed on Judai's face, "I... dunno..." he started to shake.

Manjoume sighed and looked around him. He wasn't going to get any useful information concerning this ridiculous predicament out of Judai for now. There was an eerie sound of the wind winding through the trees, the thick firs rustling uncomfortably in the weather. Manjoume fought back a shiver, well aware that Judai was watching him.

Against his better judgement, Judai again reached for his arm "How a-are we g-going to get back?"

"That's a great question!" Manjoume bit back all too quickly, unable to keep the panic out of his tone. His mind was positively spinning with thoughts. How the hell was he supposed to do this? How could he carry Judai across a ski course in a blizzard?

He thought of the other option. They could stay here. He could try and get across the snow when the storm died down and it would hopefully begin to warm up as the morning hours approached.

He gritted his teeth to stop them from chattering. The pale hand that lay on his arm was now shaking violently, the nails sinking into Manjoume's skin.

_Stay here? Not fucking likely. _

"I-I-I could stay here and wait it out" Judai murmured, startling Manjoume with his shaking along death grip on his arm. Manjoume stared at him. Judai had never looked at him like that before. With those wide brown eyes, glazed over yet desperately trying to get right through him. Seeing that sort of fear in Judai's eyes was bizzare. Judai being afraid of something like this was impossible, but like how the two of them were stranded out here in a blizzard in the dead of night, it had happened.

Both of them were scared.

"No," Manjoume shook himself free of Judai's grip, "you can't stay here, you won't last"

_And neither will I._

He stood up, brushing off the snow and then taking off his winter coat. There was still some warmth in there and his usual black jacket would do him fine whilst they made it back. That was the attitude he was adopting anyway.

"D-don't l-l-leave me"

"As if I'm going to leave you!" Manjoume snapped, more to himself rather than the boy who lay in the snow. Judai, with his hand scrabbling for Manjoume, looked so pathetic and weak. If the situation hadn't checked his self control, the urge to pull Judai to his feet would have overtaken him. Manjoume kneeled beside him and then literally shoved Judai into the coat, ignoring the weak protests and the hands that flailed at him as he did so. With Judai wrapped up like some half forgotten Christmas present, he pulled him forward and then turned around. As if dealing with a stubborn child, he artfully placed Judai's arms around his neck, locking them together. Manjoume then slid his own arms under Judai's knees. To carry him piggyback style was not the most dignified way to carry out this little rescue, but it would allow Manjoume to traverse the snow freely. _And_ he wouldn't have to see the idiot's pathetic face.

"W-what-"

"_Shut up,_ Judai"

Judai's arms tightened around Manjoume's shoulders. He flinched at feel of Judai's frozen skin on his and the laboured breathing that tickled the hairs on the back of his neck. He could feel the eyes of Judai's Kuriboh boring into him and felt a sudden surge of anxiety that was completely alien to him. It unnerved him and he mentally shook it off. From this point, raw determination had taken over anything that threatened to make Manjoume drop Judai and give up completely. He placed his right foot in front of him and bit his lip.

"Right, hold still"

"What?"

"I said hold still!"

He stood up quickly, feeling Judai's weight shift to the point where he almost keeled over. He blinked away the snow that was now swirling through the trees and mentally groaned. If the heavy snow was now reaching the woods, it meant that the blizzard had gotten worse out there. A quick flicker of cold went up his spine and he took in a sharp breath. Although he wouldn't admit it personally, the loss of coat had already equalled to him now succumbing to cold already. They had to make it over several slopes and it was possibly miles away... or it would at least feel like miles.

He took a solid step forward, but was then almost thrown backward when a ball of brown fur flew up at him, squeaking loudly into his ear. The Kuriboh was hovering in front of his face, pointing and waving manically.

"Tell your damn Kuriboh to move out of the way, will you?"

"...He wants you to follow him"

"I know that, he brought me here in the first place!" He glared at the Kuriboh "Off you go then!"

Kuriboh flew over his head and made off into a path within the woods. The way Manjoume had come. Deftly turning on his heel, Manjoume followed it, all the while wondering if this was actually going to work.

* * *

><p>The second Manjoume took a step out of the shelter of the woods and onto the snowy plain the wind slammed hard into his side and nearly toppled him over. He swore again, making Judai jump. He gazed at what was ahead of him. He could have sworn that on his way here, he could see most of the slopes that lay near here. Now, he was lucky for just making out the outline of the first one ahead of him. During the time they had spent in the forest the blizzard had doubled in intensity. It was going to be hell to get back.<p>

And Judai was not doing well. His arms were slumped over Manjoume's shoulders, the weight pulling both of them forward. His head was digging into Manjoume's back and his laboured breath rattled on the back of his neck. He hadn't spoken since they set off. Manjoume wouldn't admit that he was worried. To admit that this situation was incredibly dire would set him off into a wild panic. He had to think pragmatically.

So he guessed it was his job to keep Judai awake for the journey. It'd be even more difficult than holding his attention in class. He began walking, blinking rapidly as the snow battered his face.

"Talk to me." Manjoume muttered, surprised at how soft his tone of voice was "What were you doing out here?"

There was a quizzical pause. Good, he was receptive enough to realise that Manjoume was talking to him.

"...A duel."

"With who?"

"Nasaka. S-some guy from North Academy"

Manjoume looked slightly over his shoulder, "North Academy? There are North Academy students here?"

"Yeah... I didn't recognise him"

Manjoume did a mental check; he had no idea if there was a Nasaka around when he was there at the school. Then again, he didn't stay there to make pals with everyone.

"Yeah? Well, what happened, did you lose?"

"I wouldn't lose on holiday..."

"Ha. What happened, Judai?"

There was a long silence.

"Judai!"

"...Tired" Judai mumbled into his shoulder.

If he could, Manjoume would have sighed. "I know Judai"

"Are... a-are we going to get there?"

"Course we are," He couldn't help but add, "I'm not as weak as you"

"We're g-gunna be late. Teacher's g-gunna be mad"

Manjoume craned his neck to try and look at the boy on his back. Oh god, he was _delirious. _What was he to do now?

"Judai, you're always late, what else is new?"

"You'll b-be late too"

"Doesn't matter"

_So long as we actually get there. _He grimaced as he forced one foot in front of another on a steep incline. He couldn't have taken this route before, surely? Maybe he didn't notice before where he went. But then again, how the hell did Winged Kuriboh know where he was going?

"...Joume" Manjoume could barely hear him over the wind that rang in his ears.

"Judai"

"W-what was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"...North Academy"

He paused slightly before deciding to answer, "Hell, especially when you were around"

"I -I was there? ...When?"

The words had come out of Manjoume's mouth before he had time to stop himself. Why on earth did he admit to that! Judai was already suffering from delirium; it would be downright ludicrous for Manjoume to admit to him that whenever he suffered during his time at North academy, occasionally visions of Judai popped up everywhere, like he was some sort of demented duel spirit.

Might as well find a snow covered cliff to jump off and claim that the both of them had gone mad from the cold.

_Haven't we?_

Judai was worse than a duel spirit. _Much worse_. Damn it, that Kuriboh was staring at him.

"I'm so tired..." There was a pleading note in Judai's tone now. He wanted to sleep. Manjoume hazarded a guess that it wasn't the best thing for him to do.

"Well, you can't give up yet. You have to beat me some more at duels"

"Huh?"

"You said you'd duel me tomorrow," Manjoume could hear his own sarcasm threatening to bite through, "after breakfast"

He felt Judai shift a little bit and he could have sworn that Judai was trying to burrow through his shoulder.

"R-really?"

"If I lost, I had to go snowboarding with you"

_Now I'm getting delirious._

"-So tired"

"Yeah, well at least you're not carrying anything that's annoying and irritating at the same time"

"...Joume... What... W-what are you d-doing?"

"I am carrying you back to the lodge in the middle of the night, what does it look like I'm doing?"

"W-why?"

"Cos it's bloody cold out here!"

"But... why?"

"Cos you wouldn't leave me, so I can't leave you. That makes me as stupid as you are"

"Huh..."

Manjoume hoped that Judai would forget this conversation by the time they reached the lodge. Hell, he was hoping he could erase this permanently from his memory at some point also.

* * *

><p>Manjoume wasn't really sure what he was doing after he passed the fourth slope, only that he was going in a straight direction, walking directly to the lodge. Well, Winged Kuriboh was taking him directly to the lodge. No, he was hoping that Winged Kuriboh was taking him directly to the lodge. He could barely see the snow he was stepping on. It was incredibly difficult climbing up and then stumbling back down again while keeping some sense of balance. Add the weight of Judai to the equation and at times Manjoume had to stop and wait for the spots to clear his vision before he could continue traversing the cursed slopes.<p>

He tried his damndest not to think of the cold, but it then it invaded his thoughts all at once. It was all he could think of. His attention was slipping all the time. He wasn't sure who stopped talking first, but when the blizzard began to really batter them the conversation had quickly died away and Judai had fallen into unconsciousness. At times Manjoume fixed a firm hand to his wrist, feeling his pulse getting slower and fainter with every second.

The panic that threatened to overtake him was raising its ugly head at every blink of an eye. The steps got harder and harder. There was a searing pain in his side that made him double up if he took a deep breath and his legs felt like solid stumps of flesh. If it wasn't for the Kuriboh, moving steadily though the swirling snow and squeaking his concern now and then, Manjoume would have veered off course ages ago thanks to the ruthless weather. The slopes and the night sky were beginning to blur together and then he had no sense of the ground level altogether, nearly losing his footing whenever there was an incline.

Something strange was happening to him now. A mental block, almost, was forming in his brain, making him forget where he was. What he was doing again? At points, there was only that huge expanse of _white._ That dazzling, overwhelming light that was as bright as the sun. Like before. Why not stop for a while? This...

A high pitched squeak from Judai's Kuriboh cut through the air. It was so loud it felt as if the duel spirit had been right next to his ear. Manjoume shook his head.

What was he going on about?

_Whose fucking idea was this?_

The torturous stinging had gone from his hands and feet, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

There was only the need to keep going standing firm in his mind and snapping him out of this strange fog he kept going to. He tightened his grip on Judai. It didn't matter. He could sleep afterwards, whenever that would be. For the second time, he felt that odd feeling of anxiety. A type of concern he felt he was pretty sure didn't belong to him. He didn't what to do about it, except throw a glare at the duel spirit. Manjoume had a vague feeling it was his fault.

* * *

><p>He didn't know what he tripped over as he traversed up another slope. It could have been an enormous twig, a lost ski. It could have been his own feet, his legs giving way from the exhaustion.<p>

Whatever it was, it sent Manjoume flying forward. Judai slipped out of his grasp and they both plummeted face first into the snow.

It could have been a second; it could have been five minutes, but Manjoume lay in the snow for a period of time, Judai lying across him, unable to move and barely able to breathe.

_I hate snow._

Flashing around him, like some flickering movie reel, were the memories of the so-called family holidays. Shoji with him in the snow, pushing him around, laughing at him. Telling him to get up as Manjoume lay there feeling humiliated. Or was that Chosaku? Was it both of them? There was North Academy. The trek to find every single damn card and to prove to himself. What there was to prove, he wasn't sure. But there was Judai appearing in his head everywhere whenever it felt like the cold was getting too much, annoying the hell out of him, but never disappearing.

_Judai. _

His Kuriboh was squealing at Manjoume, poking at the back of his head. He curled his hands into fists.

_Damn duel spirit!_

He tried to push himself up but spots were clouding up across his vision and although he could just see his hands scrabbling through the snow, he couldn't feel the cold touch on his fingers. The panic was rising in his throat and his hammering heart was drowning out the sounds of the wind. His hands slipped and he fell back into the snow.

They were both going to die out here.

"Get up, get up, _get up!_" He was screaming at himself, his voice getting lost in the buffeting wind. He was on his knees, Judai sliding off him. He just managed to grab his shoulders and pull him into his arms. He grabbed Judai's wrist. A barely there pulse.

_Shit..._ _Shit!_

He was running out of options. It was no longer possible to carry Judai on his back, he hadn't the strength. He was unsure if he could get up again.

Manjoume looked down at Judai. That face, tinged with blue, had to the scariest image Manjoume had ever seen in his life. Judai looked dead, eyes closed, chest barely moving.

No.

Judai was _not _going to die out here.

As Manjoume began to struggle out of his jacket, the likely, rational thought came across him that he was doing the most idiotic thing in his life for the most idiotic person in his life. The frozen, irrational part of his mind didn't care, he was already past cold, what did it matter now?

The shabby black jacket was now wrapped around Judai, who still hadn't moved. Manjoume put a hand on his chest and began to shake him.

"Come on drop-out! I'm not having this!"

Judai barely stirred, fingers twitching.

"I have not come this far for you to give up on me!"

"...Jun." That voice was barely a whisper

"You stay with me, you hear?"

He could feel fingers tightening on his arm, Judai was making the effort to hold on to him. There was a small twitch of the head, a nod of assent. Judai was still with him.

Manjoume forced his arm under Judai's knees, cursing his body for not responding to what he wanted to do. He staggered upright, almost dropping Judai if hadn't been for the hold Judai had on his arm.

The Kuriboh was staring at him, anxious and quivering in fear.

"Move!" Manjoume yelled, feeling the ground shake underneath him. He looked ahead. The lodge could be- _it must be_ beyond that final small slope. From what he could remember, the smaller, beginner courses were always nearest to the lodge. Besides, he'd been walking for what felt like an age, if it was not beyond the slope then it was simply over for both of them. The last slope felt like the biggest, Manjoume forcing his feet to move, forcing his hands to keep their grip.

It was there. That large complex. The lodge. It was there, perching on top of the hill like some beacon. All the lights in the windows were on, shadows rippled across them. He was staggering towards the lodge, barely keeping his hold on Judai. Suddenly light shone on his face as the door opened and several figures ran out towards him. They were shouting his name, they were calling at Judai. Manjoume could hear them, but had trouble figuring out exactly where they were. They couldn't be that far...

He was just able to hand Judai over to the blurry figure of Fubuki before his face met the snow a second time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ack. This was horrible to write. :/ Critique is always welcomed :)**


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